Wheel, gear and the like pulling device



Sept. 27, 1932. H w K ET AL 1,879,331

WHEEL, GEAR, AND THE LIKE PULLING DEVICE Filed May 29, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 27, 1932.

H. W. KULP ET AL WHEEL, GEAR, AND THE LIKE PULLING DEVICE Filed May 29. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g gwwmtoz v flurry 10 flax I /l1 ap /ll} 61; 9 wawd Z.

Patented Sept. 27, 1932 HARRY w. KULP AND man'rmo. DELL ING ER, or LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA WHEEL, GEAR AND THE LIKE PULLING DEVICE Application filed May 29, 1930. Serial No. 457,026.

This invention relates to wheel, gear and like pullers.

he primary objects of the present invention are," to provide in a puller with radially relatively movable jaw-members means for binding said jaw-members against relative spreading movement; toso combine said jawmembers and said binding means as to prevent the unintentional separationof the binding means from the tool; toprovide a puller with a plurality of jaw-members in combi N nation with means for maintaining said jawmembers in definite spaced relation to each,

other in a peripheral direction; toprovide a 1 special construction of jaw-members in combination with an encircling binding means whereby the gripping portions of said jawmembers may be adjusted to, and held in, any one of a plurality of relative adjusted operative positions to grip'diiferent sizes of gears, wheel-hubs or the like; to provide supplementary means to obtain exact fine adj ustments; to provide a simple separable channeled head and cooperating ball construction of said jaw-members for pivotally mounting said jaw-members in said head; to provide means for preventing the gripping portions of said jaw-members from twisting with relation to each other; to provide simple quickly 3 operated means for simultaneously moving all of said jaw-members to, and holding them in, spread position; to provide a special construction of jaw-members capable of production by being stamped from sheet metal; to

so combine the jaw-members, thrust-screw and body of the tool that each of said jaw members will receive all strains in. an edgewise direction; to so combine the'jaw-members and the binding ring that the latter will a 40 receive all strains in an edgewise direction and radially; and to otherwise'simplify, im'-, prove and increase the efliciency of such tools.

In this application we show and describe only several embodiments of our invention simply by way of illustration of the practice thereof, as by law required. However, we are well aware that our mvention is capable of a number of other different emgrip a different size of hub without departing from our said invention and, therefore, the drawings and description herein are to be considered as'merely illustrative and notas exclusive.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a sectional view of a tool or puller embodying our invention as applied to a wheel-hub and axle, saidvview being taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Figure 2, an outer end elevation of said tool on or puller; 1 I

V Figure '3, an inner end elevation thereof with the axle. protective block F illustrated as centeredtherein; f

Figure 4, a view similar to Fig. 1 taken on line 44tof Fig. 3, the jaw-members being shown in a differentradial adjustment to Figure 5, a sectional view taken on the line 55 of'Fig. 1; Figures 6 and 7, sectional views taken on the dual line 66, 7-7 of Fig. 1 and looking in opposite directions, v v

Figure 8, a fragmentary detail perspective View of the two binding rings; 3 Figure 9, a partial sectional View simila to Fig. 5 with the cam-ring 7? moved to inoperative position; and r Figure 10, a sectional view, broken away, of a modification Referring now in detail to the drawings, A' designates the tapered axle, broken away,

and B the correspondinglytapered wheelhub, broken away, making a tight fit on and keyed to said axle, as; indicated by dotted: lines, as at f j To this hub B is connected theusual brakedrum, not shown, and the usual removable wheel, not shown, and adjacent its outer end the said hub 13 is formed. with an abruptannular flange D. i

The end of the axle A is reduced and externally screw-threaded, as at E, to receive a suitable nut, not shown, overlying the outer end of the hub B to force the same tightly on the tapered axle A and to hold said hub Bthereon.

The foregoing construction is, of course, old, but is simply illustrated and thus generally described to facilitate a clear understanding of the invention and its operation as applied to pulling wheels.

In the embodiment illustrated the puller comprises four main operative divislons or units, first, a body member consisting of an internally screw-threaded externally annularly grooved sleeve or block 1, a cooperating annularly grooved or concavely ground collar 2 having its grooved or profiled face presented in opposition to the grooved face of block 1, meansfor drawing and holding said block 1 and collar 2 toward each other, wh ch means may be bolts 3 with their cooperat ng nuts, and a spacing and braclng block, which may be a separate radially slotted plate 4 secured in any convenient manner for in stance, by bolts 3 and thelr cooperating nuts;

second, a powerful externally screw-threaded thrust-screw 5 engaging and working in the internally screw-threaded bore of said sleeve or block 1 and which may have a small centering tip or point received in a conical bore or countersink in the outer end of an inter-' nally screw-threaded protective cap or block F which may be appliedto the outer end of the screw-threaded end portion E of the axle A, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, to prevent spreading of, or damage to the threads of, said axle A where the application of great force or hammer blows is necessary, as is quite frequently the case in connection with such tapering fit constructions; th1rd, a gripping portion or unit consisting of a plurality of jaw-members 6 pivotally mounted in the body member at equidistant points peripherally about, and radially from, the axis thereof to have swinging movement about their respective pivotal points in their respective radial planes, so that their free swinging ends will have radial movement with relation to each other in spreading apart for application to a wheel-hub B to be pulled, and in moving toward each other or closing to lie back of, and engage, an annular flange, such as D, of said wheel hub B or the like; and, fourth, an operator comprising an encircling member or ring 7 for spreading and closing said gripp ng portion or jaw-members 6, said operator or ring preferably being formed to cooperatewith all of said jaw-members 6 to brace each of ment in a radial plane, and an adjusting cam--- ring 7 secured to ring spreading element 7 by means of headed pins 7 fixed in adjust-' in, and 7 ing or cam-ring 7 and extendin operated in, arcuate preferably equidistantly spaced slots 7 in ring or spreading element 7, said cam-ring 7 being provided with a plurality of radially inwardly presented cam faces 7 corresponding in number, and respectively in radial disposition, tothe'arms 6.

The jaw members 6 preferably are exact duplicates of-each other in both size and form,

or as nearly exact duplicates as it is practical to make them under usual large quantity production conditions, and will preferably be struck out by the same die, or by duplicate dies, by stamping them out of sheet metal. However, there is no need for great exactitude of detail, such as is present in the production of measuring instruments and be sold on a reasonable margin of profit basis,

and the terminology herein employed is to be'read in this light.

Each said jaw-member 6 has its radially inner portion of its free or swinging end portion cut or stamped to form an abrupt shoulder or jaw face 8 extending preferably substantially perpendicularly to' the axis of the thrust-screw 5 in assembled operating gripping relation, and has the radially inner portion of its pivoted end portion formed with a curved or interrupted ball portion 9 receivedbetween, and with its convex edge faces in sliding contact with, the opposed concave arcuate faces of the body 1 and collar 2 to therewith constitute a ball and socket pivotal connection between I the respective jaw-members 6 and the body comprising said 'radiallyoutward swinging movement of said jaw-members 6 and the turning movement thereof by the spreading and stop ears 16.

The radially outer edgeof each of said jaw-members 6' will preferably be formed with short straight portions 11, 11 adjacent ring stop lug 12, inclined shoulders 13 and 13 respectively, extending radially inward from edge face portion 11 toward face 11 and from the'latter toward thrust bolt 5 to a straightedge face portion 14, which merges with-a slightly inclined edge face 15 extending radially inward toward the thrust bolt 5 to the spreading and stop ear or lug 16.

The spacing and bracing block, which may be a separate plate 1 secured to the sleeve or block 1 by bolts 3 and their cooperating nuts, or in any other usual and suitable manner, is formed with a plurality of radial slots 4' corresponding in number to the number of jaw members 6, registering in peripheral position therewith, and of such width as to receive the respective j aw-members 6 and permit their free swinging or pivotal movement in their respective radial planes, wlnlecomhating any twisting or turning tendency of the individual jaw-members 6. If suificiently heavy or thick sheet metal stock be used for the j aw-members 6, that is to say, if the edges of the ball portions Qthereof be of sufiicient width, as is the case with the embodiment illustrated in the first eight fig ures which were made from a full size puller, the provision of the slotted guide and bracing block or means such as 4 is not essential,

although preferred as facilitating assembly operations and permitting a greater leeway inallowances and less need of exactitude and avoiding need of frequent adjustments to compensate for wear.

Theoperating member will preferably be a ring member 7 such as shown, preferably stamped from the same sheet metal stock as jaw-members 6, or heavier stock, and having a circular central opening slightly greater in diameter than the external diameter of the oted end portions of said aw-members 6.

Said member 7 is formed with a plurality of radial slots 7 disposed equidistantly in a peripheral direction, corresponding 1n number to the aw-members 6, registering 1n position with the respective slots 4 of the memher 4 and being of the same width and making a free sliding fit on, and receiving the; radially outer portions of the respective awmembers 6, and extending from the inner periphery of said member or ring 7 radially outward to radially outer end walls or faces,

17 which are all disposed equidistantly from the axis of said ring member 7 and in the assembled relation of the parts respectively engaging the radially outer edge faces of the respective jaw-members 6 when thecam-rlng 7 is in inoperative position, that is to say, when the cam-ring 7 a is in such position that the portions of the respective cam faces7,

7 adjacent the respective radial slots 7 are dis posed atthe same distance, or a greater distance, radially from the axis of the ring 7 than the respective radially outer ends 17 of said respective slots 7 Assuming the parts to be assembled as above described, that it is desired to apply the puller to a wheel-hub 'B to pull the same off the axle A, and that the protective cap or block F has been applied to the end of axle A,"the operation is as follows: the ring '7 is grasped at two points on different sides of its axis, preferably at diametrically opposite points, and shoved lengthwise of jawmembers 6 until its outer edges of faces 17,

or the porti'ons ofits side face adjacent thereto and presented toward spreading or stop ears or lugs 16strikeagainst the latter, engaging all,or substantially all, of said spreading and stop ears or'lugs 16'simultaneously, or substantially simultaneously, and turning them with their'jaw-membersfi inthe body intheirrespective radial movement planes to spread their swinging operative orhook ends until their respective edge faces 10 contact with the block or sleeve 1, so preventing further pivotalmovement, in which relation-of the parts, as will be noted,-the spreadingand stop ears or lugs 16 extend radially beyond the respective end walls or faces 1770f the ring 7, so effectually blocking further movement in that direction of the ring 7.

l/Vith the jaw-members6 heldspread by the ring 7 as above mentioned, the tool is applied so that its jawfaces 8 lie on the distant side of the annular hub-flange-D, the point of the thrust-screw 5 is inserted in the conical centering countersink in protecting block or cap F to aid ineasy centering or manipulation, the ring 7 is shoved along the aw-members 6 with its faces 17 contacting successively with the face portions15 and 14' V of the radially outer edges of the respective jaw-members 6 until forced endwise of the jaw-members 6 as far as possible toward the stop lugs 12, thus forcing the swingingends of said jaw-members '6 radially inward toward each other so as to bind said j aw-mem- I bers 6 against relative radial outward movement under strain or tension, and with their hooks 8 extending radially inward and behind the annular hub-flange D as illustrated in Figure 4. 7

Where the smaller sizes of hubs B are used so that greater contraction of the members- 6 is necessary, the -ring 7 is forced toward the stop lugs 12 into contact with the shortinclined faces 13*, causing a quick inward contracting movement of the j aw-members 6 and then along the short straight edge face por tions 11*, and, if a substantial amount of contraction is still necessary, said ring 7 isforced in the same direction into contact with the short inclined faces 13, causing a further- ,dially inward until suchplay is taken up, the V inclined faces 13 and 13 with the straight faces 11 and 11 providing for a rough approximate adjustment of gripping position of the jaws 6, and the cam-ring 7? with its cam faces 7 providing for a more exact or ad- 1' ustinent of the gripping POSItiOH of sa1d a ws 6 in any one of their three primary grlpping positions.

gripped between the thumband finger 0f themechanics hand, the application of squeezing pressure serving to move the cam-ring 7 toward operative position to cause the camfaces 7 toengage the arms 6 and force them radially inward, the contour of the cam faces 7 being such as to make a'locking contact with'the edge faces of the arms 6 in any adjusted operative position of cam-ring 7 and shoving them apart resulting in moving them to inoperative position as illustrated in Fig. -9. I I

With the tool applied to the hub as stated, the thrust-screw 5 is turned in through the sleeve 1, forcing the latter toward the outer end of the screw 5 and, of course, exerting a pull on the jaw-members 6 and hub B in that direction. Should the hub 13 be extremely tighton, or frozen to, the axle A, the thrust-screw 5 will be turned into sleeve 1 as far as can be accomplished with a powerful long hand wrench, and the head of screw 5 will then be hit with a hammer, which usually suffices to free the parts.

It will be noted that as thus constructed all strains and stresses are exerted edgewise of all portions of the jaw-members 6 and also of the ring 7 and canrring 7; in other words, I

in the direction, at all points, of greatest strength or greatest thickness or weight of metal.

In the several embodiments illustrated the radially inner walls of the slots 1 are so located, or the adjacent face of the sleeve'l is formed or extends radially to such extent as to contact at a predetermined point with the opposed radially inner edge face portions V members 6 will'preferably be slightly wid-- ened by cutting the radially inner edge with 'reversely inclined portions intersecting at a pointabout midway of the-length of each jaw-member 6 togive a greater weight of metal at this point, tapering off with a truss effect to brace said jaw-members. by no means essential, nor of particular importance, but it is an added advantage withoutadded cost, since it simply makes use of metal that would otherwise be scrap, and it costs no more to cutit in the preferred form than straight.

Considering the invention in its broader aspects, it is not essential that the operator or element 7 be of ring form, nor is it essential that it be slotted radially to receive the jawmembers 6 in such slots, nor that it be of continuous band form, so long as it is of such construction as to prevent spreading of the swinging ends of said jaw-members 6 when applied in operative binding relation thereto; nor is it essential, considering the inventionbroadly, that spreading and stop ears or lugs 16 be provided at the pivoted ends of the jaw-members 6, or that faces 10 or. other means for limiting the movement of the jawmembers 6 in spreading be provided, or that stop lugs 12 or any stop means limiting the endwise movement of the ring 7 in that direction be provided, either on the jaw-members 6 or otherwise.

In the construction illustrated in Figure 10 the construction and operation are in all respects the same as in the preferred form, except that the bracing and spacing radially slot-ted flange, block or plate 4 is substituted by a radially slotted flange 4* integral with block or sleeve 1? and functioning in all respects in the same way as plate 4, and in substitution for the bolts 3 and their cooperating nuts, collar 2* is formed with an internally screw-threaded bore to engage the correspondingly externally screw-threaded outer cylindrical portion of sleeve or block 1 ,a looking or friction screw 2* being mounted in the collar 2 to be turned into binding engagement with said externally screw-threaded portion of sleeve or block 1 after said collar 2 shall have been turn-ed up thereon to the adjustment desired.

In either form any wear of the ball portions 9 or socket can be compensated by operating the parts to bring the opposed grooved or arcuate faces of the sleeve or block and the collar closer together.

e claim:

A pulling device comprising a body, and a plurality of jaw-members mounted in said body for swinging movement in their respectiv radial planes with relation thereto, in combination with means disposed about said plurality of jaw-members as a unit and movable lengthwise of said jaw members in engagement with the radially outer faces there of to adjust the radial positions of said jaw members with relation to each other, and a member mounted on said means for move- This is Inent concentric with the axis thereof and having radially inwardly presented cam faces adapted to engage the radially outer faces of said jaw-members respectively to adjust the radial positions of said aw-Inembers with relation to each other and to prevent their radially outward relative movement.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, this 24th day of May, 1930.

HARRY W. KULP. v MARTIN C. DELLINGER. 

